I don’t enjoy watching innocent people suffer, but one exception is the show Alone Australia. Victims put their hands up to be left on a remote and desolate beach, hoping not to freeze to death, and if they’re lucky they may catch an eel and eat it raw. Needless to say this is my idea of torture. In my view, the $250,000 prize means nothing in the face of not having a warm shower with an elaborate selection of nice-smelling oils for more than one day.

The contestants are left utterly alone with a lot of camera equipment and film themselves building shelters, fishing or losing the plot entirely.

Most of the contestants have a horrible time and, while I enjoy having a large variety of breakdowns available for my viewing pleasure available on free-to-air TV, it’s often hard to watch. Recently a contestant walked away from his camp in the arctic and couldn’t be found for hours, which doesn’t bear thinking about. I hope he’s somewhere warm with plumbing now!

One element of the show that I can’t help but appreciate is how wholesome some of the breakdowns can be. Several contestants clearly ache........

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